Love in the Time of the Warlock Cold
by HPfanonezillion
Summary: Magnus is ill. Alec plays nursemaid.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's note: I got the idea for this when I was thinking about wanting to write Malec fanfiction. I hope that you think it's cute. I have it mapped out to be eight chapters and I will try to get it finished quickly (within the next couple weeks)_

Chapter One

Alec walked out of his bathroom, drying his hair. He walked over to his nightstand and picked up his phone. He had just realized Magnus hadn't called like he promised.

He punched in the warlock's number.

He answered on the third ring with a croaky, "Hello, Alec."

"Magnus? Are you okay?"

"I'm sick." He said simply.

"Like a cold or just laryngitis?"

"The first."

"Would you like me to come over and take care of you?" He sat down on his bed and started pulling on his shoes.

"You don't have to."

"But do you want me to?"

"If _you_ want to." He sounded a bit like he wanted Alec there, but wasn't about to start begging. Yet.

"I'm going to ask my mom for her soup recipe, it's a miracle cure. Then I'll get the stuff to make it and be there in an hour at the most."

"I love you." Magnus sighed.

Alec smiled, "I'll see you soon."

Alec let himself into Magnus's apartment. He saw the warlock lying on the couch with his cat Chairman Meow lying on his chest. Discarded tissues littered the floor and a box sat on the coffee table. He lifted his head and smiled.

"Hi." He said softly. He let out a sneeze and pulled another tissue from the box.

"Hey, there. You look like hell." He sat down the grocery bag and walked over. He placed a hand on Magnus's forehead. "Feels like you got a bit of a fever."

He nodded.

"Are you cold?"

"Not at the moment."

Alec leaned over and kissed his forehead. "I'll get the soup started."

"Thanks." He said and it sounded a bit more strained than before.

As he chopped the vegetables, Alec chattered on about the events of the evening. He didn't know if Magnus was really listening, but he went on talking, hearing the occasional sniffle and sneeze.

He left the soup to simmer. He walked over and saw that his warlock boyfriend was dozing. He gently moved his feet and put them across his knees. He ran a hand slowly over his lower leg and started humming an old nursery rhyme Maryse used to sing to him when he was ill. He didn't remember the words, but he remembered the tune.

Magnus opened his eyes and smiled.

He smiled back. "Do you need anything?"

He started to shake his head and let out a large sneeze. "Tissue." He pointed to his room.

Alec got up and found his box of unopened tissues. He walked back in and handed it over. Magnus took it and struggled to sit up. Alec helped. He wiped at his nose. Alec made a face.

"You've been ill yourself. In fact, I took care of you."

"You did." He sat down and pulled the warlock down to rest his head on his lap. He ran his fingers through Magnus's hair. "That's why I wanted to take care of you."

"Thank you."

"No problem."

They sat without talking for a long time. Alec continued to move his fingers through his boyfriend's hair and Magnus continued to sniffle and wipe at his nose which had started to run like a faucet.

"I have to stir the soup." He removed himself from under Magnus and walked into the kitchen. "All done." He called.

He walked back into the living room with a steaming bowl. He sat it down on the coffee table and helped him to sit up. He passed the bowl over.

Magnus put a spoonful to his lips. "Too hot." He sat it back on the table.

"It'll cool soon enough." Alec picked it up and stirred it, blowing in it. "My mother used to do this. Sometimes she still does."

Magnus rubbed his throat.

"Throat sore, huh?"

He nodded. "And I'm cold."

"So the soup should warm you right up." He passed it over and noticed Magnus's hands were shaking. "I'll get a blanket." He hurried out of the room and came back with a quilt. He draped it over the warlock's shoulders.

"That's yours." He croaked as he slurped soup.

"Yeah, well, I don't need it right now. You do." Alec rubbed his back. "Do you need anything else?"

"Water?"

"Right on it." He kissed Magnus on the temple. "You're hot."

He looked up and gave a smirk. "Thanks."

"You know what I meant." He rushed off to get the water.

"Doesn't matter." He called hoarsely and then fell into fits of coughs that shook his body. Soup sloshed over his hands. "Ow." He said between the hacking.

Alec quickly took the bowl away and sat it on the coffee table. He dabbed at Magnus's hands with a wad of tissues he pulled from the box on the floor. "It wasn't so hot was it? And your magic could fix this all up."

He shook his head. He struggled out, "Spell made me sick in the first place. Power zapped until I get better."

"A spell? What spell? You have a cold."

He sighed, "I was—" He shook his head again.

"Has this happened before?"

He shook his head. "Not to me."

"So you don't know how long it will last?"

He shook his head again.

"Can someone else fix it?"

"I'm High Warlock." He croaked.

"And?"

He opened his mouth, but closed it again. He tried to push himself up, but it was too hard. "Pen and paper." He pointed to the kitchen.

Alec stood and walked into the kitchen. After digging through two drawers, he found a yellow pad of paper and a pen. He handed it over.

In his large, quick scrawl, he wrote, "I was trying to get back at a neighbor. He stomps around at all hours. So I was just going to mess with his heating for an hour. But the spell I worked backfired. I think it's like some sort of _Charmed_-esque 'personal gain' crap."

"And you got a cold as a result?"

He nodded and wrote some more. "Fever is getting higher, I can feel it. You did too. And the chills are getting worse." At this, the pen skipped across the page as he spasmed with a cold chill.

Alec took the pen and paper. "Have you known anyone to have this happen?"

He nodded.

"Do you just have to ride it out, then?"

He nodded again.

"For how long?"

He shrugged.

"Is there something I can get you then?"

"Tea would be nice."

Alec stood and walked into the kitchen. He pulled out three types of tea. "Which of these do you want: blueberry black tea, Earl Grey, or green?"

"I don't care." He whispered.

"Indecisive bastard." He mumbled as he went to work filling the kettle.

When he walked back in, Magnus had resumed eating the soup. He held it out when Alec held out the tea cup.

He wrinkled his nose. "Earl Grey?"

"You said you didn't care."

"As long as it wasn't this."

"You should have said that." He held out his hand. "Give it here and tell me which you actually want."

"And ruin a perfectly good cup of tea?"

"I'll drink it."

"You don't like tea." He rubbed his throat.

"Stop arguing with me, Magnus Bane. Give me the damn tea and tell me which one you _do_ want?"

"Green." He handed over the cup.

Alec took the cup away and went about the process of making the tea again, setting the bowl of soup in the sink. He sipped the rejected tea, "Blegh." He downed it in two gulps and put the cup in the sink with the bowl.

Magnus took the cup and brought it to his lips, only to scald his tongue. Alec handed over the cup of water for him to sip. He sat the glass down heavily on the coffee table. Alec tried to pass the tea cup back. He lifted his hand and shook his head.

"Seriously?" the Shadowhunter said.

"It's hot."

"It will cool off." He put it on the table.

Magnus lied down, pulling the quilt over his shoulders and shivering. His teeth chattered. Alec put his hand on the warlock's forehead.

"God, you're on fire."

His response was a sneeze followed by a fit of coughing.

"Can you take any medication?"

"Already tried." He said around the hacking.

"And it didn't work?"

He shook his head. He finally settled down. Alec helped him sit up and take a sip of the tea he'd just scoffed at.

"Is he really a horrible neighbor?"

Magnus widened his eyes and nodded.

Alec stood and helped his boyfriend lie back down. He left the room and returned with a wet rag. He kneeled down and draped it over the warlock's forehead.

"Tissues." He croaked.

He handed them over.

Magnus wiped at his nose. He took out another tissue and tried blowing it. He repeated the process a few more times and then said, "Can't breathe." And started pouting.

Alec went to the bedroom and returned with the pillows. He stuffed them under his head. "Better?"

He nodded.

Alec started cleaning up the mess his warlock boyfriend had created.

"Alec." He called.

He came over, "Yes?"

"Not comfortable."

"The pillows?"

He nodded.

"If I take away the pillows, you won't be able to breathe. You're going to be uncomfortable either way."

Magnus struggled to sit up and push one of the pillows away.

Alec took the pillow and threw it on the floor and helped him to lie back down. "Now?"

He sighed as he lied back. "Can't breathe." He threw his hands up.

"Breathe through your mouth."

He made a face.

"Your lungs are connected to your mouth for a reason, Magnus. What am I supposed to do?"

"Fix it."

"I can't. Unless you have some way of going back in time and making you not try to cast a spell against your annoying neighbor."

He shrugged and let out an exasperated breath.

Alec went back to cleaning. Magnus started snoring softly on the couch. Alec quietly put the dishes away. He walked around the apartment and turned out all the lights. He leaned over Magnus and whispered, "You want to go to bed or sleep here?"

"Here." He mumbled.

Alec kissed his forehead. "I'll be in your room, then, if you need me."

Magnus nodded and rolled onto his side.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's note: This is about half as long as the previous chapter. Hope that doesn't upset you. I used a couple French phrases I translated from Google Translate. If you are a French scholar and I got them wrong somehow (or rather, Google did), let me know how to fix them and I will. Enjoy!_

Chapter Two

Alec sat up quickly. He had been dreaming of a demon that made the most awful hacking, retching noises. It wasn't one he'd encountered before. Then he heard the retching again and looked around. He was in Magnus's bed alone. The bathroom light was on. Magnus was making that noise.

He climbed out of the bed as the sounds of his warlock boyfriend continued. He walked into the kitchen and filled a glass of water. He walked into the bathroom and took out a washcloth. He wet it in the sink and laid it across Magnus's neck.

The warlock smiled gratefully as he reached up and flushed. He sat back and took the wet cloth from his neck and wiped his face. Alec handed over the water. He weakly swished some around in his mouth before spitting it out.

He sipped the water.

Alec sat down beside him. "Feel better?"

"A little." His voice was shaky and hoarse.

"Good." He reached up and smoothed a hand over the other man's messy hair. "I don't like this look on you."

"I don't like the feel of it. I hate being sick. I've never been ill. Ever."

"Well, what have you learned?"

"There's nothing to learn, that bastard deserved it." His face changed suddenly and he passed the glass over as he bent over the toilet again.

Alec rubbed his back.

Magnus sat back once more and took the water. "I feel disgusting."

"Perhaps you should take a shower."

The warlock smiled despite the rotten feeling. "Will you be joining me?"

"Do you even feel up to that?" he teased.

"No, actually. I'm spent."

"I know." He kissed Magnus's shoulder. "Then do you just want to go to bed?"

He nodded and stood shakily. Alec wrapped an arm around him and helped him to the bed. Chairman Meow jumped up on the bed as soon as his master sat down.

"Hello, Chairman." Magnus crooned as he lied down and gathered the purring cat to him.

Alec hurried out of the room and returned with a large bowl.

"That's my good punch bowl."

"I'm not cleaning up a mess if you can't make it to the bathroom."

"I'll never be able to use this again."

"You can get a new one. Hell, I'll get you a new one."

"It won't be the same."

"Then soak it in bleach for a week. You might not even need it." Alec sat it down on the floor beside the bed. Then he climbed on the other side. He sat up and combed his fingers through Magnus's hair. He started humming the lullaby from earlier.

"That's pretty." Magnus mumbled, rolling over to face him.

Alec scooted down on the bed and continued humming and running his fingers through his warlock's hair. He kissed his forehead and whispered the few words he knew. They were in French.

"You and your French." He said with a smile.

He chuckled. "Je fais de mon mieux."

"And better sometimes." He rasped.

"Stop talking, Magnus. That can't be good for your throat." He ran a hand down Magnus's cheek.

"It's not, but I don't want to sleep. I want you to keep talking to me."

"And I want you well. So sleep. We can talk when you're better."

"There won't be any talking when I'm better."

"If you want more talking, we'll talk more. But not tonight."

"Don't tease me, Lightwood. There will be virtually no talking when I'm better unless it's part of the passion."

Alec chuckled again, "C'est vrai."

Magnus laughed and rolled over, pulling Alec's arm over him. "Will you hum more of that song?"

The Shadowhunter did as he was asked. He snuggled close and they drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Alec awoke late that morning. Looking at his watch, he saw it was actually almost noon.

"Well, that's what happens when you're nocturnal for the most part." He thought to himself as he stretched. He looked over to Magnus.

The warlock was still fast asleep and snoring. The Chairman was still curled up beside him.

He smiled and ran a hand over the cat's spine as he leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his warlock's forehead. He got out of bed, showered and dressed in clothes he'd left behind. He gathered all the dirty clothes around the small apartment and started a load to wash.

As he started trying to figure out what to make for breakfast, he heard Magnus start to stir. He walked in and looked at him as he struggled to sit up.

"How do you feel?" He asked softly.

"No worse."

"Good. Do you have any preferences for breakfast?"

"I'm not really hungry."

"You should still eat something?"

"I should have some cereal in there somewhere. Milk might be expired, though."

"I'll check." He reached out a hand and touched his forehead. "You're still pretty warm. Lie down and I'll see what you have."

There was cereal: a handful of something that was basically sugar. And the milk was, in fact, expired. Looked like he was going to be making a trip to the store. He walked into the bedroom.

"You have nothing."

"I usually order in, you know that."

"But you need something. I'm going to the store. You want anything specific?"

He shook his head and rubbed his throat. "Would you make me a cup of tea before you go?"

"Yes, I will."

"And bring my tissues in here on your way back. Please."

"I'm on it."

Alec made the tea and brought it Magnus. He leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'll be right back. Call if you need anything." He waved his cell phone. "I'll go to the store just around the corner."

As he walked out the front door of the apartment, his phone rang. He looked down and saw it was Magnus. "Remember something you needed?"

"More tissues. I'm almost out."

"Tissues. Got it. Anything else?"

"Uh, Chairman needs some more litter. I've been meaning to get some, but I kept forgetting."

"Okay."

"Thank you, sweetness."

He laughed, "Don't mention it. And don't call me 'sweetness.'"

"What would you prefer I call you?" He growled into the phone. The growl triggered a coughing fit.

"Get some water. I'll be back soon."

Alec made his purchases quickly and headed back to the warlock's apartment, laden with groceries.

As soon as he walked through the front door, Magnus called, "I need those tissues."

He dug through the bags and found one of the boxes of tissues. He walked into the bedroom and stopped dead in his tracks. There were books strewn over the floor.

"What the hell happened?" He demanded.

"Chairman was chasing a bug." He said simply. "Will you clean it up? I tried, but I'm too weak to stand."

"No problem." He bent over to start picking up the books.

"I'm hungry." Magnus said softly.

Alec sighed, "I'll get you something in a minute."

He lied back and let out a breath. Alec gave him a smile over his shoulder.

"You're not going to starve to death, Magnus. Just give me a minute."

"You were the one that said I needed to eat something." He broke into another coughing fit that, unfortunately, gave him the need to reach for the bowl Alec had brought in the night before.

The Shadowhunter cringed at the sounds of the other man getting sick behind him. He put the last of the books up on the dresser and then walked out of the room, bringing back a wet cloth and a glass of water. He handed both over when Magnus assured him that he was done. He took the bowl and was barely able to keep his own stomach steady as he brought it into the bathroom and dumped it out.

"My pillow fell on the floor." Magnus called as Alec walked back into the room.

Alec leaned over and picked up the pillow with a long-suffering sigh and handed it over, placing the bowl on the floor once more. "I bought crackers and ginger ale."

"Blech."

"You think you could eat something else?"

"I don't think so."

"Then crackers and ginger ale for the warlock and cereal for me."

"You got that bland organic crap, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did. It's better for you than all that sugar."

"I like my sugary cereal."

Alec smiled and walked out of the room. He got Magnus his food and then walked out of the bedroom. He worked on some cleaning, still running back and forth to get Magnus things when he needed (getting more and more ridiculous). Jace called.

He asked, "Where are you? Clary's here, you were going to help me with sparring."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot. Magnus is sick, I'm taking care of him."

"Well, aren't you a good boyfriend." Jace teased.

"You would do the same for Clary."

He could hear the blush in his friend's voice when he said, "Yeah, maybe. So do warlocks really get sick?"

"It's a long story." He looked into the bedroom to see Magnus was dozing. "He's kind of a baby."

Jace laughed.

"I mean, I don't mind taking care of him, but he's demanding."

"He's just getting back at you."

"What do you mean?"

"I hear you can be pretty demanding yourself in other areas."

It was his turn to blush. "I don't know where you would have heard something like that."

"You can find a lot of interesting things on the internet, my friend." He said with a chuckle.

"I'll kill him. Once he gets better, he's dead."

Jace let out a guffaw. "You're ridiculous."

"Sorry about the training."

"Don't worry about it. I'll try to drag Izzy away from Simon long enough to help."

"Talk to you later, Jace."

They disconnected. Alec walked over and leaned against the doorframe, watching Magnus sleep. He smiled and walked over, placing a hand on his forehead. He stirred and opened his eyes.

"I'm cold." He mumbled.

"You're fever's going up again."

"Yeah. My throat's getting scratchy again too."

He smoothed back his hair. "Do you need anything?"

"I'd like to lie on the couch for a while. Will you help me?"

"Sure."

The warlock got settled onto the couch and Alec sat on the end with Magnus's legs draped over his knees.

"Where's the remote?"

Alec handed it over. They sat together in silence for a while. Well in as much silence as they could sit in with Magnus sniffling and blowing his nose.

There was a crash in the bedroom.

"I think Chairman made another mess."

"Probably."

"Are you going to clean it up?"

"I'll get to it."

"Okay."

"Was that a passive/aggressive 'okay'?"

"No, it was a 'do whatever you want' 'okay.'"

He heaved a sigh and got off the couch. He mumbled angrily to the cat as he cleaned up the mess.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The rest of the day, Alec attended to all of Magnus's requests. He grew increasingly more and more upset and frustrated. He ran for more tissues. He cleaned up another mess Chairman Meow had created. He put pillows under Magnus's head. He took the pillows away. He covered the warlock. He took the blanket away. There was another mess from the cat to clean. Magnus dropped the remote and couldn't get to it.

That night, the fever came back with vengeance. Alec put the thermometer he found under the warlock's tongue. It was 111 degrees. He sighed and looked at the other man's face. He looked miserable; worse than the day before.

"Let's go get you in your bed." Alec suggested.

Magnus nodded weakly. Alec heaved him up off the couch and stretched one of his warlock's arms over his shoulders. The few feet they had to walk was slow and calculated. Alec set him on the bed with a thump.

"Do you need anything?"

He shook his head and then rolled over. He fell asleep a short time later.

Alec made himself some supper and sat beside Magnus, placing a hand on his forehead every so often. The fever was still there. And it seemed to be growing. The thermometer read 113 degrees.

"Well, that's not as large of a difference as I thought." He said to himself. He went to the other room and called his mother.

"You might need to take him to the hospital." She said with concern thick in her voice.

"Mundane medicines won't work. It's magical."

"Well then, I suggest putting a cool, wet cloth on his head. They should help take the heat away."

"Thanks, Mom."

"You can't catch it, can you?"

"No, he was working a spell and it backfired. It's not catching."

"Are you getting plenty of rest?"

"Yes." Not really with all the running he did around the small apartment to attend to the warlock's needs.

"Just don't run yourself ragged; we need you."

"I know."

"All right then. I need to go. Will I see you tomorrow?"

"I don't know. It all depends on how well he is."

"Okay." She paused and then said, "I love you, Alec."

He smiled, "I love you too, Mom."

He hung up and filled a bowl with water from the sink and sat a cloth inside. He walked in and sat down beside Magnus once more. He wrung out the cloth. As he placed it over the warlock's forehead, Magnus started mumbling. Nothing made sense, but he sounded distressed.

"Sh, It's okay, Magnus. I'm here." Alec said softly, brushing hair out of his face and wiping the moist cloth over his face.

"Will?" He said.

Alec stopped moving. "It's Alec, not Will."

"Mm-mm, Will." He said again. And then fell silent.

He placed the rag over his forehead and then climbed into the bed. Chairman came in and curled up in between them.

Magnus tossed and turned in his sleep. He mumbled some more and called out for Will a few more times. Alec rolled away, fuming. Just as he was falling asleep, the warlock woke suddenly, coughing and stumbling for the bathroom.

Alec sat up and listened for a few moments before he walked in and, once again, helped Magnus get cleaned up.

They climbed back into the bed. Alec took his temperature again. It was 116 degrees. He sat up, replenishing the cloth to his forehead when it warmed up on his skin. As he slept, he again called for Will. He also softly asked once, "Jem?"

Alec gritted his teeth and climbed into the bed beside his boyfriend.

Alec was awakened a short time later to Magnus shivering. Both were soaked in sweat. The fever had broken, quite explosively it seemed. He got up and found Magnus a fresh change of clothes, helping him change.

He took the warlock to the couch and covered him with an extra blanket. Magnus promptly fell asleep. He sighed and went about changing the sweat-soaked sheets. He watched Magnus for a long time on the couch. His sleep was more peaceful now that the fever was broken. He even smiled slightly.

As he turned to go back into the bedroom, Magnus said, "Thank you, Will."

Alec stomped into the bedroom and climbed into the bed, glad he was alone. He pounded his fist into the bed and fumed for a long time before he was able to fall asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

_(Here's Chapter 5, y'all! I'll have the last chapter up directly. I wanted to get this finished before November and NaNoWriMo. Hope you enjoy!)_

Chapter 5

Alec did his morning work-out, still fuming from the night before when Magnus called him Will repeatedly. And then went to work on the massive amount of laundry now added to since Magnus had sweated through his clothes and his sheets the night before. There were also all the clothes that accumulated because his warlock boyfriend had the need to change his clothes at least twice a day.

He came upstairs from putting the first load in the small apartment complex's one washer. Magnus pushed himself up to sit against the arm of the couch when he walked in. He smiled.

"How you feeling?" Alec asked awkwardly, wanting him to be well, but also wishing him a little ill for the name that passed his lips the night before.

"Much better. Still week." He said softly. "Thank you."

The Shadowhunter shrugged. He ran down to the shop on the corner and picked up some doughnuts for them to eat for breakfast and some sandwiches for lunch. They ate in silence and then he went to work picking up the apartment.

They didn't talk much. Alec was still not sure how to feel. He was happy his servitude was almost over. He was itching to get back out to fight a demon. But he was glad for the time spent with Magnus, despite how demanding he could be.

And just as he was thinking about the demanding, it started.

"Hey, Alec? Do I have any clean clothes? I need to get in the shower."

"There should be. At least something of mine you could wear until yours are clean."

"Could you go look? I don't think I can make it."

"Then how do you expect to take a shower?"

"Sit in the tub."

Alec sighed and walked into the bedroom. There was one pair of jeans and a sparkly tank top. There was really nothing else. He walked into the living room. "Would you be comfortable sitting around in this or do you want to wear my sweat pants?"

"My waist is small than yours."

"Drawstring." He said simply.

"I'll wear my own clothes. But I appreciate you offering to let me in your pants." The warlock winked.

"Are you sure? These pants are skin-tight. This is club wear."

"I'll be fine." He pushed himself up from the couch. He held on to anything he could as he walked past. He took the clothes his boyfriend held out. He pulled the Shadowhunter to him and pressed a kiss to his cheek. He leaned on the wall as he walked into the bathroom.

Alec sighed and continued to work as he listened for the warlock to call him. He went down to change over the laundry and start a new load, having retrieved the clothes from the floor in the bathroom. Magnus made half-hearted suggestive remarks. Alec laughed and declined all offers.

"You're still weak. I don't want you passing out on top of me."

When he returned from the laundry, Magnus was sitting on the couch once more. He was shaking the remote violently. He looked up imploringly when his boyfriend walked in.

"What?"

"The batteries are dead, I think."

"Can't you use your magic to fix it?"

"I guess I can try."

Alec went back to work and Magnus worked some small magic on the remote and television.

"Alec, I forgot, would you mind cleaning the Chairman's litter box?"

"Can it wait? I'm in the middle of folding laundry."

"I guess so."

"If you're feeling better, why don't you do it?"

"Because I almost fell over coming back from the bathroom."

"I'll get it in a little while." Alec said. Under his breath, he mumbled, "Lazy ass."

The warlock sneezed.

"Bless you."

"Ugh, where are my tissues?"

"I think they were left in the bedroom."

"Could you get them for me?"

"Get off your ass and get them yourself."

He heaved himself up off the couch. And then immediately plopped back down. "Ooh, dizzy."

Alec threw himself out of the chair and went into the other room to retrieve the box. He threw it, maybe a little harder than intended, at Magnus.

"I'm hungry." He said a few minutes later.

"Really?"

"Didn't you get something for lunch when you went out this morning?"

"Yeah."

"So?"

"Do I look like a slave?"

"I get dizzy when I stand."

"Just chill a minute, all right? Let me put these clothes away."

As he moved around the house, thinking more and more about the events from the previous night, Alec got more and more upset. He gave Magnus the cold shoulder. Not that it mattered much as the warlock and his cat took a long nap on the couch most of that time.


	6. Chapter 6

_(Okay, here is the final chapter. I know it's a bit short, but it works. I hope you like it and I hope you keep looking out for whatever I think up next. I have promised a bit of a smutty Malec one shot to my best friend, so keep your eye out for that. Happy reading! **Edit: **Thank you all so much for the reviews, you have all been so kind and encouraging!)_

Chapter 6

Magnus woke up late that afternoon to find his apartment spotless. He looked over to see Alec performing some sort of solo martial arts. It looked kind of angry and fierce. He watched for several long minutes.

Finally he said softly, "I'm hungry."

"Well, being sick can do that." He snapped back, continuing in his work-out.

"Were you planning on making something?"

He stopped moving. "Are you planning on telling me that Will wasn't anything to you."

"Where the hell did that come from?"

"You were dreaming about him last night. At least, I've been telling myself it was a dream and you didn't think I was him. Until you mumbled 'Thank you, Will' right before you fell asleep."

"I had a high fever. People hallucinate with high fevers."

"And?"

"'And' nothing. Will means nothing."

"Right."

"You've been fuming about this all day, haven't you?"

"Yeah, maybe a little. But that doesn't mean my anger is unjustified."

"It is. I've told you a thousand times that it is."

"I don't want to argue with you."

"You brought it up, Alexander."

"Well, I'm done." He walked to the door. "You're looking well enough to take care of yourself now." He slammed the door.

Magnus stood on wobbly legs and made his way slowly to the door. He picked his way down the stairs after his Shadowhunter. He was still unsteady on his feet.

"Alec, wait." He called.

He stopped just inside the door, but didn't stop.

"I've been a complete ass."

"You can say that again."

"Please turn around and look at me, Alexander." He begged, gripping the railing to keep steady.

He did, slowly.

"You need to stop being jealous of Will Herondale. That was a century ago. He's long dead."

Alec stared him down. "Like I will be one day?"

Magnus met his gaze. "I don't want us to worry about 'one day' right now. This is today."

Alec was silent.

"Please come back and let's talk." He took a step down and swayed on his feet.

Alec rushed up and wrapped his arms around the warlock to steady him. "You're stubborn, you know that?"

"But you still love me."

"I don't know if I'd go that far."

"I'm sorry. I know you're not Will."

"I'm not Jem either."

"Jem?"

"You said his name once too."

"I don't know where that came from. Jem is your complete opposite in looks. But not in compassion."

"Maybe that's it, then."

"Maybe. Come on." He tried to walk back up the stairs and faltered again.

Alec sighed and swung the lanky man up into his arms and carried him up the stairs.

"I'll order some take-out." He said as he walked.

"I'd kill for a nice, greasy pizza." He smiled and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's neck. "Also, it's really hot that you can carry me up the stairs like this and still speak unwinded."

"I'm a Shadowhunter." He said simply as he sat the man down on the floor beside his bed.

"And that explains everything."

"It does. I may not be an angel like Jace, but I am Nephilim. It means I'm stronger than the average man. It's why I have so much endurance." He winked and pressed a kiss to Magnus's lips. "Lie down. I'll order a pizza."

"Then come snuggle with me until it gets here?" He asked hopefully.

He sighed and smiled, "Anything for you, Magnus."


End file.
